Product Review: Linens ‘n’ Things Chrome Plunger

During a small toilet crisis in our new apartment, Cheri and I realized that we didn’t have a plunger. We had one at the old apartment, but we forgot to bring it with us. (I think it actually belonged to one of the maintenance workers at Price, but I can’t recall its exact origins.) Thus we needed to get new plunger—to fix our current crisis (read: a flooding bathroom) and avoid any new problems.

Walking around the enormous Linens ‘n’ Things in Fair Oaks, I only had one thought in my head: “Why can’t they make this store more user friendly?” There are no signs indicating what items are in what sections. There aren’t even aisles—just large rooms with similar items. But I couldn’t figure out if the plungers would be in the section with the toothbrush holders, or the section with the shower curtains. They’re both bathroom items, but neither uniquely belong in the toilet like a plunger.

After my first attempt to find plungers I only found toilet brushes. Begrudgingly leaving the store, I called up Cheri and she explained to me that the plungers would probably be disguised as toilet brushes. She informed me that people who buy plungers at stores like this want them to be decorative and not look like a plunger. I think this is meant to keep guests thinking that the homeowners are perfect wipers and always use the correct amount of paper.

Re-entering the store, I go directly to the toilet brush section and indeed find plungers disguised as toilet brushes in canisters. Unfortunately this causes the plunger price to well exceed its actual value—but we needed one, and we needed one now.

Arriving in its new home, our Linens ‘n’ Things Chrome Plunger immediately went to work. Its plunger head felt a little small compared to the orifice in the toilet bowl; but after a little cajoling, it performed its function to its fullest capabilities. Now Cheri and I no longer have to worry about an overflowing toilet. Plus its fine etched detail makes the toilet area look posh and sophisticated. But is that what we really need from our toilets? I think that may be asking too much, especially what we use them for. Eww.

FYI

My name is Eric and I live in Burke, Virginia.

Here are a few tidbits about me: Chesapeake, Virginia is my hometown; Cheri is my lovely wife; Photography and pool are my most active hobbies; Crohn's Disease is my ailment; Virginia Tech and The George Washington University are the schools I graduated from; Cookies & Cream is my favorite ice cream flavor.

Also, fallenposters is the alias I use on most websites. It was the first username I came up with when joining instant messenger in college. The first thing I saw was the posters that had fallen from my dorm room wall, and the rest is history.